New Age

Recovery

*Lyla's point of view, present day*

Of course, out of all the new technology the New Age brought along, none had to do with medical treatments. We have advanced the treatment processes, but there is no magic that will completely heal a wound or treat an illness in an instant. Recovery time has been greatly reduced, but is still lengthy for wounds like mine. The medic says I have at least 5 days of recovering to look forward to. The cut on my side is thankfully clear of infection, but it's deep. I also was lucky enough to receive numerous bruised muscles and a concussion. My collar bone is fractured. In other words, I hurt. At least today we got to go home for a week before the missions start. My family recently moved into the closest town so I could easily travel between home and headquarters.

After all the work I did to land myself in the hospital wing, I don't get to find out who's on my team until after the break is over. Will already put in for a guard job instead of actually being out in the field.  I don't blame him, he said he wanted to go home and protect his town. It's close to the ocean. We probably won't see him in person again; he left late last night with the other people who chose a guarding job. He said he would try to keep in touch. Max has been acting weird ever since our fight. I think he feels bad. Actually, he's been acting strange since he kissed me. Which was a complete surprise to me, by the way. I like Max, in a slightly more than friendly way, but I didn't exactly want him to kiss me. I just wanted to know if he felt the same way. 

He obviously does.

I have five hours to get ready before the transporters come to haul us off. I won't be coming back to my room here, and I can't say that disappoints me. I'm glad to get as far away from Alice as possible. I know she won't be on my team, not after our fight. It was kind of brutal I have to admit. I don't feel bad. I'd probably be packed by now, but I can hardly move without extreme pain in my side.   I wouldn't mind laying down for a few more hours, though.

After napping and packing, I wait anxiously by the doors. I just want to go home; I didn't notice how homesick I've gotten. Even though I really want to go home, I also really want to see Max. He didn't answer his door and he's not down waiting with the other Trackers like I am. If he doesn't come down soon, I might not see him for a really long time. What if he's not on my team? Just as the thought crossed my mind, the doors open and we're standing in front of a long line of transporters. I slowly walk to the last one, hoping I'd be able to catch him on his way out, when I realize that he might be staying here with his brother. I pick up the pace, giving up the hope he would be here. I leave my luggage for the driver to put in and open the door, about to get in. 

"Lyla, wait!" I turn around to see Max running full speed down the sideway, knocking people and luggage out of his way in the process. He barrels into me, almost knocking me down. His curly hair is everywhere and he's out of breath. "I didn't know you guys were all leaving so early, I'm not leaving until tonight. I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner." 

"It's fine. I didn't know if you were going to stay or not so I just left. I figured you wouldn't make it down in time." He barely did. My transporter is the only one left.

"I'm not staying here, I've been here long enough. I'm staying with Zach back home."

I haven't told him that my family already moved. "I'm not going home though. My family moved to the nearest town." His face falls and I feel bad. We've spent so much time together that a week apart seems like forever. I lean in to give him a hug so I don't have to see him upset for much longer. Then he tilts my head up and kisses me. For the second time. "Why do you keep doing that? What are we, even?" He just smiles and kisses me again. I give up trying to talk to him, because he isn't answering any of my questions. The second kiss, or third counting the one he surprised me with earlier in the week, lasted longer than the one before. He finally breaks it off and steps back. I don't know what he wants me to do so I just get in the transporter and shut the door behind me, hoping he doesn't see the very noticeable blush on my face. Suddenly the pain in my side doesn't seem so bad anymore. 

When I get to the new house, I'm not surprised of how small it is. My sister was surely in her own home by now, and I won't be here all the time. My mom and dad greet me at the door and we go in to catch up. They said my sister was coming the next day. I get the full tour of the new house, a one bedroom, two bathroom, living room and kitchen arrangement. Upstairs is an attic with two beds for my sister and I. I drop my luggage on the bed and go back downstairs to relax with my family. My parents don't hesitate to baby me because of injury. 

Max messages me throughout the day, but it's still weird not seeing him. I wish I was back home where my friends are. I miss them so much. I go to bed, looking forward to a week of relaxing and recovering. Sleep comes easily, and soon enough I'm dreaming that I actually am home. 

By the time I woke up, it's almost dinner time. My sister arrived about an hour before I woke up, but let me sleep. I go to the small bathroom in our attic to get cleaned up. I was nervous that my wound bled through the bandages or I ripped my stitches in my sleep or something. I gently peel off the bandage, glad to see that everything is exactly how it should be. I drop the medicine I was given into my mouth and immediately feel better. Having a new, clean bandage on feels better, too.

"Mom and dad went to pick something up. They won't be back until late tonight." My sister was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. She greets me in a soft hug, mindful of my side. "I was thinking we could take a walk into town and grab something to eat, if you're up for it."

"Sure," I say, grabbing a light jacket and my shoes from the doorway. We step outside, and even though it's gotten pretty late, the sun still shines blindingly. I wait for my sister to lead the way, since I had no clue where to go. Most of the walk was quiet.

"What else happened during your training, besides the obvious?" She gestures to my injury. 

"Not much. Most of our time was spent training. Most of the people there were pretty boring. I just stuck with my friends because everyone else seemed not to have any personality at all." 

"That's it? You spent a whole month there. You had to have done something interesting, or have some cool story to tell."

"Well, there was this room. It was filled with books from the Old Age! THere were so many it was unbelievable. I even got to read a few of them. When we weren't training or eating, that's where we were."

"We? You keep saying 'we?'"

"Max, me, and sometimes my new friend WIll. He didn't come a lot; he was always sleeping. He chose to be a guard in his hometown so you probably won't get to meet him. But you know Max, obviously." I trail off, hoping that would end the conversation.

"I like Max. He's always been nice. I was hoping you guys would stay.. friends." She ends with a question I knew she would ask. I just smile and nod, hoping that's a good enough answer for her. "Do you like him? Does he like you? Did you ask him if he likes you? Are you dating? Did you guys kiss yet?" She begins to fangirl over us.

"I guess I like him. He definitely likes me. He made that very obvious." I draw out the 'very,' hoping she would take the hint. 

"You guess you like him? Or do you?"

"I don't know really. We haven't really gotten a chance to talk about it."

"Did you tell him how you felt?"

"No. I haven't really talked to him at all about it."

"You need to tell him, you might not have another chance." She means that we might not be on the same team. The thought occured to me, but I never thought about how serious the possibility is.

After dinner, we go home and go to bed. We were going to wait up for our parents, but I was too exhausted from the walk. When I wake up, I'm greeted by a surprise curled up at the foot of my bed. A big dog was sleeping there, and I reach down to scratch his ear. I coax him quietly out of the room, downstairs to ask my parents about him. 

"Mom, dad? Are you guys awake yet?" My mom comes out of the kitchen, smiling.

"I see you've met your new dog!" She looks down at the dog sitting by my feet. My dog?

"Why did you get me a dog when I won't even be home?" 

"I contacted the Tracking Headquarters after reading an article on specially trained tracking dogs. These dogs are allowed to be taken on missions, and I said I was interested. They hooked me up with Jaspar." She gestures to the dog. "You can take him with you!" I look down at Jaspar. I'm so happy I don't know what to say. Now, if Max isn't on my team, at least I have Jaspar. I won't feel completely alone if the worst comes.